Communication ... something worth talking about: there's no magic to communicating. Better...

Every person has the right answer. Just ask them ... No, not that guy, ask the other one! No, not him ... the one next to him!

Have you ever noticed how many different opinions there are within even a small group of people? Perhaps even more amazing is the fervor and passion that many of these people attach to their opinions.

As we all know, whether it's horse racing or politics, different people will analyze the same information and come up with completely different

sets of correct answers and "truths." This can be fun when it comes to a sporting event, and passion evoking when it comes to politics. However, when it comes to business, too many opinions can be a problem if they're not ultimately followed by a unified decision.

The simple reality is that in every business, sooner or later, someone has to make a decision, and the rest of us have to follow it. You've heard the cliches ... "A body can only have one head," or "a ship can only have one captain," and you know the validity in the sentiment. We even agree with it. After all, a ship with no captain may be doomed to steam in circles, or worse yet, run aground or sink.

No one wants that to happen. Least of all those of us in the franchise community. You're too sensible for that. You want to be part of a decisive organization that can move efficiently and decisively to overcome market pressures and the competition.

Well, you do most of the time, right? But sometimes you know better than them, don't you? I'm not talking about the times when you thought you were right, and turned out not to be. I'm talking about the times when they got it wrong, and you got it right. Why didn't they listen to you? Good question!

The problem is that being right isn't always the most important thing to be. No individual, no company, and certainly no franchise system is infallible. Some decisions, no matter how well reasoned, turn out to be wrong, or less effective than another option would have proven to be. It's human. It's normal. It's inevitable.

Many franchisors and franchisees have struggled with how to make the best decisions possible, and then have the greatest support for the answer that is decided upon. Out of this struggle one solution seems to be voiced more and more: Communicate!

Today, the franchising community is living in an "enlightened age," where an ever-increasing number of franchise systems recognize and value the ideas, participation, and insights that come from their franchisees.